Contributed by Jack Black, J. Michael Kenyon, Bill Hoover and
Robert Bradley
1951 – Seven-foot Bill Spivey refuses to cooperate with gambling
scandal investigators. He is indicted for perjury and
suspended, never again allowed to wear his No. 77 Kentucky
jersey. He refuses to implicate teammates accused of
fixing games and, despite a hung jury at his trial, NBA
Commissioner Maurice Podoloff bans him for life.
1952-53 – Spivey plays with a barnstorming team called the Detroit
Vagabonds.
15Oct53 – Spivey signs to play with the Boston Whirlwinds of the
Harlem Globetrotter organization (His player-coach is
Bob Karstens).
1953-54 - Bill Spivey and Bobby Showboat Hall had a big fight in a
game in Brisbane, Australia during the 1953-54 season.
After the fight the game ended with Claude Overton hitting
a shot at the buzzer giving the Boston Whirlwinds a victory
over the Trotters. The Trotters manager ran to the score
table and "found an error." The Trotters won in overtime,
but Kline admits that Spivey was on the team which broke a
regular season win streak of years and years.
WESTERN TEAM - of Bobby Hall, Bobby Milton, Sammy Gee,
Rookie Brown, Jumping Johnny Wilson, Lee Gardner, Frank
Washington, Bobby Knight, and John Kline.
1954 – When Bevo Francis, celebrated collegiate scoring star, is
signed to play with the Whirlwinds, Spivey is switched over
to the Trotters’ “House of David” team for a summer tour of
U.S. ballparks.
29Jul54 – Francis scores 21 and Spivey 27 in the Whirlwinds’ 47-46
preliminary game victory over the House of David. In the
feature, before 13,444 at Fenway Park, the Trotters beat the
U.S. Stars, 61-41, with Goose Tatum scoring 18.
21Oct54 – Bill Spivey scores 29 in an 86-62 House of David loss to the
Harlem Globetrotters before 1,100 at Antioch High as the
1954-55 Trotter season commences.
1954-55 – Spivey is “transferred” to the original Washington Generals.
He scores 27 for them in a 64-58 loss to the Toledo Mercurys
before 3,600 at the Portland (ME) Exposition Bldg on November
17, 1954.
15Jan55 – Goose Tatum scores 21 as the Globetrotters defeat the
Professional All-Stars (a consortium of General, Mercury and
Philadelphia SPHA players, including Bill Spivey), 57-50,
before 9,541 in the Cow Palace at San Francisco. Spivey is
said by Trotter publicist Tom Walsh to be averaging 30 points
a game.
1955 - After the 1954-55 season, Spivey is said to have returned to
the University of Kentucky campus to complete work toward his
degree.
1955-56 – Spivey begins touring with Marques Haynes’ Harlem Magicians,
who now also feature Goose Tatum. Dec. 14, 1955 – The
Magicians, with Tatum pouring in 50, beat the New York
Olympians, led by Bill Spivey’s 30 points, before 2,500 at
the Portland (ME) Exposition Bldg.
NEW YORK OLYMPIANS - Bill Spivey, Charlie Hadden, Bob Fowler,
Bob Righetti, Tom Gatzek, Ted Lyons, and Byron Anderson.
HARLEM MAGICIANS - Goose Tatum, Marques Haynes, Van Phillips,
Boyd Buie, Bertrand, Kenneth McBride, Jerry Johnson, Fred
Andrews, and Lester Burks.
5Mar56 – Spivey’s New York Olympians lose, 97-91, to the Magicians
before 4,000 at Rancho High in Las Vegas. Tatum outscores
Spivey, 57 to 51.
6Apr56 – Spivey scores 50 and Tatum 46 as the Magicians beat the New
York Olympians, 94-81, at the Tacoma (WA) Armory.
1956-57 – The name of the Magician opposition team is changed to the
Kentucky Colonels, probably in Spivey's honor. Tatum and
Spivey continue to be the high-scoring magnets.